♪ Welcome to Omega Funk Airlines ♪ ♪ flight 10,000 ♪ ♪ yall better be ready to groove tonight ♪ What's up, party people?

My name is Manny and we are live from KVCR studios in San Bernardino.

This is Rhythm Lounge, where we spotlight the top musical talent from across the Inland Empire.

Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Benjiphonic.

♪ (music playing) ♪ ♪ rock block party ♪ ♪ rock block party ♪ ♪ it aint no 1520 ♪ ♪ Sedgwick Avenue ♪ ♪ But we gonna party rock it ♪ ♪ just like Cool Hurc would do ♪ ♪ Grandmaster cuttin wax ♪ ♪ flash cut me through and through ♪ ♪ It's time to take it to the streets ♪ ♪ I got that feelin like I'm fallin through the floor ♪ ♪ It's got me hungry ♪ ♪ now I'm coming back for more ♪ ♪ So many people that were knockin in the doors ♪ ♪ It's time we take it to the streets ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Non-stop party ♪ ♪ Gonna take the party out into the streets ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Non-stop party ♪ ♪ Gonna take the party out into the streets ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Back in the Burnin Bronx ♪ ♪ we got that Zulu ♪ ♪ He got that Planet Rock ♪ ♪ know how Bambaataa do ♪ ♪ You hear that primal sound ♪ ♪ its coming after you ♪ ♪ Its time ta take it to the streets ♪ ♪ I got the feelin like I'm fallin through the floor ♪ ♪ It's got me hungry ♪ ♪ now I'm coming back for more ♪ ♪ So many people that were knockin in the doors ♪ ♪ its time to take it to the streets ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Non-stop party ♪ ♪ Gonna take the party out into the streets ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Non-stop Party ♪ ♪ Gonna take the party out into the streets ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Non-stop party ♪ ♪ Gonna take the party out into the streets ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Non-stop Party ♪ ♪ Gonna take the party out into the streets ♪ ♪ Come on ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ The West Coast brought it with G-Funk thang ♪ ♪ Hoopties rollin low with that G-Funk swang ♪ ♪ While up in the bay bells was startin to ring ♪ ♪ Where Humpty, Tu Pac, and Hammer were king ♪ ♪ The rock bands took it ♪ ♪ and they turned it around ♪ ♪ They put a little metal in it that hip hop sound ♪ ♪ And every culture since ♪ ♪ has begun to expound ♪ ♪ Upon the party that was started in the bronx ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party (harmonizing) ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party (harmonizing) ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party (harmonizing) ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Non-stop party ♪ ♪ Gonna take the party out into the streets ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Non-stop party ♪ ♪ Gonna take the party out into the streets ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Non-stop party ♪ ♪ Gonna take the party out into the streets ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Non-stop party ♪ ♪ Gonna take the party out into the streets ♪ ♪ out into the streets ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ ♪ Rock Block Party ♪ I'm Benjiphonik and I'm here at Valley College ♪ This is a story of a man who's going blind ♪ ♪ who walk with a single purpose through the eddies of time ♪ ♪ This is the story of a girl who couldn't hear ♪ ♪ But the angels and the demons like to whisper in her ear ♪ ♪ They followed the white rabbit and took the red pill ♪ ♪ They did what they were supposed to ♪ ♪ a good Jack and Jill ♪ ♪ But they knew the reality they made wasnt real ♪ ♪ And the madness was nipping at their heels ♪ ♪ I feel the shiver runnin ♪ ♪ up and down my spine ♪ ♪ The thought that I might not be ♪ ♪ right inside my mind ♪ ♪ I hear the voices callin ♪ ♪ inside my head ♪ ♪ Demons and angels fallin ♪ ♪ Voices are callin ♪ ♪ This is a story of how we all became slaves ♪ ♪ cancelled by the culture and tossed by the waves ♪ ♪ The good boys and girls did exactly as they were told ♪ ♪ they gained the world, but forfeit their soul ♪ ♪ This is the story of a world that couldn't love ♪ ♪ Separated from their body and from the heavens above ♪ ♪ Graceless the wandering crowd looked for prey ♪ ♪ And unfortunately, you were right in the way ♪ ♪ I feel the shiver runnin ♪ ♪ up and down my spine ♪ ♪ The thought that I might not be ♪ ♪ right inside my mind ♪ ♪ I hear the voices callin♪ ♪ inside my head ♪ ♪ Demons and angels fallin ♪ ♪ voices are callin ♪ ♪ I hear the voices callin ♪ ♪ inside my head ♪ ♪ Demons and angels fallin ♪ ♪ Voices are callin ♪ ♪ I fell the shiver runnin ♪ ♪ up and down my spine ♪ ♪ The thought that I might not be ♪ ♪ right inside my mind ♪ ♪ I hear the voices callin ♪ ♪ inside my head ♪ ♪ Demons and angels fallin ♪ ♪ Voices are callin ♪ ♪ I hear the voices callin ♪ ♪ Inside my head ♪ ♪ Demons and angels fallin ♪ ♪ Voices are callin ♪ ♪ (music playing)♪ My name is Mariana Lapizco And you spell M a r i a n a Okay awesome.

Can you tell me about how you heard about the internship program?

Yes, of course.

I heard about the internship program on social media.

And then right after I decided to apply.

Okay.

And can you tell me why students should join the film, TV and media program?

Working with professionals just gives you a sense of confidence.

You know, as artists we're always self-conscious and stuff like that.

But working with like-minded people always inspires you to go more and get out of your comfort zone and keep learning.

Not only that, but people are super cool here.

You know, we're always helping each other out.

If someone doesn't know something, the other person might know it.

And then we're always teaching each other.

It's always the team work, that makes the dream work and its all here.

Welcome back to Rhythm Lounge.

Today we have Benjiphonik with us.

Thank you so much for joining us.

I know you're super busy, but taking the time to come and share your talent and your music with us.

I know you describe your music as alternative hip hop.

You performed for us two songs, Voices and Rock Block Party.

What inspired first off, what inspired rock blog party?

You know, it really made me think of for some reason I really identified it and connected it to 4th of July, maybe because it matched your suit.

I almost wore the same thing today, but yeah.

Tell me a little bit about us.

Yeah, we were.

I didn't call you ahead of time.

And say, I'm wearing the orange suit.

Right?

You should have.

That would have been really embarrassing.

But anyway, Rock Block Party, you were talking about the 4th of July.

It is inspired by the fourth.

No way.

I was getting 4th of July vibes.

That's true.

No, it's not inspired by that, but that's okay.

Yeah, I was wanting to, you know, but it is that kind of, you know, cool.

I wanted, you know, a barbecue and actually like in the in the seventies and early eighties, you know, the whole hip hop era, the birth of hip hop, it was spawned by rock block parties, by, you know, in New York, in the Bronx, in parks, in rec rooms, that kind of stuff.

Yeah.

So I was trying to write a song and the song talks about what we call the holy trinity of hip hop, which is Gotcha DJ Kool Hurc.

It's Afrika Bambaataa.

Okay, that's Grandmaster Flash, right?

So these three DJs basically create hip hop and they're the ones who who birthed it.

And so I wanted to kind of give this nod to them and just create this energetic tune, right that was talking about, you know them.

Gotcha.

So what would you say typically just inspires your music in general?

I know you've been making music for upwards of near 30 years, 28 years to be exact you said.

I got old.

We ain't aging you.

Yeah, but what's inspired you to get into music in the first place?

Um, definitely.

Music was always I mean, and this is probably true for so many of us.

But music, you know, as we're in our teens, as we're going into our toes, music kind of defines us.

And a lot of people connect to songs in different ways.

And I got a guitar when I was in high school and started playing.

I got a bass guitar.

I started learning and I just had this love for music and I thought, people really are going to want to hear what I have to say, right?

Whether that's true or not, I went for it.

And so I started learning and taking lessons and then playing in different bands.

And so over the years I've played in three different groups that have kind of shaped and molded my experience.

But come the mid, you know, 2000 teens, I started a shift and that was Benjiphonik I, I had done rock music, I'd done alternative music, I've dabbled with country, I've done all these different things.

But hip hop was always this thing that I loved, and it's what I grew up with in the golden era of hip hop in the eighties and early nineties.

And so that's where I wanted to focus my efforts.

Right now.

Gotcha.

So what would you say is the most difficult instrument to play?

Because you said you picked up a few instruments in your teens.

Yeah.

The sitar, when you're, you know, playing the sitar.

Yes.

I mean, I've never played a sitar, but but I think for me, violin.

So I, I got a violin.

Wow, gotcha okay.

I did a song with a band called Conspiracy of Thought.

And they had we had a great DJ named Ivan Miller.

He came in and did some work for us on that song and he brought in strings.

Yeah.

For the video I learned how to play the string parts on violin so that I could actually play with a quartet that we put together.

Violin looks serious people are always look like they have have their game face on.

Theres no frets.

Yeah.

Yes.

Right.

Well, and you you've got to kind of guess where the note is, (funky voice styling) right?

It's difficult.

Geez.

Well, I was going to ask too, because, you know, we mentioned that you've been, you know, in the music game business for a very long time.

But, you know, nowadays a lot of artists are able to throw out music on social media and get noticed on YouTube amongst a lot of other platforms a lot of other music, streaming platforms and whatnot, and really just push that content out there digitally.

How do people do it in the earlier years or in the nineties?

Oh, that's a that's a great question.

So when I first started recording, we would do maybe a demo like in a rehearsal room and we'd have maybe a four or an eight track recorder and we'd go to a tape cassette or and then when we first started, like I think my first full album was in 1996.

And...

I got old, and so we had two inch reel to reel tape.

It was a 32 channel mixing board with two inch tapes.

So with these huge rolls of tape.

And so we went from that to digital audio recording, DAT recording, which was a small cassette, but, and it had less tracks actually.

Yeah.

And so they would have multiple DAT players to make bigger tracks.

And then it went from that to digital, which is where we are now, except that even then, like MP3s were new even when digital recording started.

And now it's like, well, I have a home studio I use, you know, the tools like GarageBand or Logic or things like that, you know, which are home tools that you can use.

Professionals use them as well.

Right?

But it's incredible.

I mean, we I've seen just this huge difference.

Right.

So how would you market your how would people market their music in the nineties typically.

That's that's a great question too.

For local artists.

Yeah.

Literally we would go show to show so we would hear buddies bands playing and we would say, Let's go to their show, will hand out fliers.

Yeah.

So we would hand it, we would make up a bunch of cheap guerilla fliers.

And then in the late nineties we started burning CDs ourselves.

And so we would have like one or two songs that we give to people.

And so just like we would do an MP3 now.

Yeah.

So you would give a SoundCloud link now.

Gotcha.

Or Spotify or something.

Yeah.

That well Spotify was that bag full of CDs and I hey man do you want my song?

And they'd be like, No, I don't know, you, you look weird.

And so that's how it was, you know?

Yeah.

Okay, gotcha.

Man, that's super interesting.

I was going to mention.

So you've done a lot of live shows, live performances.

What's some places that you've performed around the Inland Empire?

Oh, man.

So a lot.

I played places that are here now, like great coffee shops, like Back to the Grind in downtown Riverside, Lake Alice also in Riverside, places like that.

There used to be a place here in San Bernardino called the Rock Ranch that I played in, you know, for years.

And of course, I performed at places like the Whiskey a Go Go where the Roxy or places like that in Los Angeles.

Roxy is historic right there.

That's totally awesome.

Yeah.

Those are the goats, man.

The greatest of all time.

What would you say?

It's something that you would want to do.

Or a location where you would want to play around the Inland Empire.

What's a place that you've been like really aiming to to get into or excited to play at?

That's a great question.

I think the my next step is going to actually be focusing on colleges, nooners because now that COVID is morphing, you know, it's not going away, but it's morphing.

And so we want to morph with it.

And so as places like UCR, Cal State, San Bernardino, even Valley College, which I performed here as well, right.

And doing nooners or things like that, you know, on campus because I would love to just connect with more people and do shows that will, you know will be entertaining for people.

Yeah.

That's definitely, it was very entertaining the performance.

I think I can understand and see how it connects to college age students a little bit a very entertaining but kind of angsty at the same time.

What's been the reception typically from from college age students with your your music?

It's good.

You know, the the funny thing is, you know, because I tend to span a lot of decades and even with the show here today, you know, the two songs, one was The Voices is a much more, you know, kind of classic hip hop.

But there's like this kind of classical type chorus going on.

The first song Rock Block Party, maybe more nineties focused, and then Omega Funk 10,000 is like a it's a nod to like Parliament-Funkadelic or something like that.

So in the seventies and stuff like that.

So you were asking about how college students or how how people are connecting to the music when the music's fun and when you aren't afraid to like, you know, make fun of yourself.

And especially when you're an old dude like me, if you're willing to, you know, get out there and just, yeah, do your thing.

I think people respect it.

They like it.

And and also connecting with people is just about, you know, listening.

Yeah.

Yeah.

If you listen to them, they're going to listen to you.

Gotcha.

It's all about that human connection right there.

Absolutely.

Yeah, so I was going to mention.

So you're from Riverside.

Yes.

And you did you grow up in this area in the Inland Empire?

I grew up in Lake Arrowhead.

Gotcha.

Okay.

Rim High School.

Rim High School.

Shout out to Rim High School.

And so I grew up there.

I was born, though, in like Laguna.

Okay.

So Laguna Niguel, that area, I lived there till I was like seven, then up in the mountains.

That's where I grew up.

And then I went down to Riverside for college and I actually took classes here at Valley College.

Oh, nice.

Okay.

Cal Baptist, RCC.

I did.

I did all kinds of stuff.

Im a Cal Baptist alumni as well So I did all of that until I almost got a degree.

And then I got into a band that started touring and going around and I stopped.

Gotcha, okay yeah, yeah.

And then I went back to school again to finish out a degree in the mid to late 2000s.

Got it.

Okay.

So what did you end up getting your, your degree in?

Well, this is the deal.

I had taken classes and I had all these different majors over the years.

And so finally I went to a guidance counselor and said, let's shake the tree and see what falls out.

Yeah, yeah.

He's like, Oh, well, you have a humanities degree.

And I said, Sign it, I'll do it.

So I have a degree in humanities That is funny.

That's hilarious always makes me think.

That makes me think of my little brother who went to school for, like, four years.

Yeah.

Valley College actually ended up getting, like, three associate's degrees and Im like, I'm going to call the school to make sure you graduated.

Yeah, right.

(laughter) Is this real?

But yeah, something while I've been talking to you, you know, I myself am in my early, early thirties.

And so I was wondering, you know, because when I was growing up, cassettes was the thing and then it became like a was it a Walkman or whatnot, right.

And so what was it when you were like growing up as, as a child?

Was it was it more was it cassettes as well?

So when I was maybe, you know, at the end of the seventies and into the eighties, records were the thing.

Records, gotcha.

We're talking about wax.

And so I would listen to, you know, The Lord of the Rings or whatever, oh Frodo (laugh) you know, and, you know, you had to have like the gigantic headphones, right?

And and so it was records.

And my dad had a huge record collection from like the sixties and even into the fifties.

So he had original Beatles, original Rolling Stones, original Jimi Hendrix, all these.

And so that's that was like my first introduction into music.

And so it went from records to cassettes.

In fact, I have a new song that's out called, I Got Old.

Okay.

And the very first line is, you ever dub tape to tape?

Cassette to cassette?

Then you're the old school because...

Most people cannot relate to that.

Yeah.

Yeah right.

(laughing) It's crazy.

I remember when a song that you really liked hit the radio, you would literally run to your radio to hit record over a tape, and sometimes you would even be able to record it.

You would be able to record it over a song that was already on the tape record over.

I just remember that that was a struggle.

A lot of people do not understand the struggle of, it's real.

The struggle was real people.

nowadays, you just go to the music platform, hit download or you don't even have to download, just play it basically.

You know and actually and that's a bummer for the wonderful thing about streaming is that you can get your stuff to anyone all over the globe, right.

The bummer about it is that because there's not that tangible product it's a lot harder for musicians to make a living these days.

Right.

And so, the streaming platforms are absolutely wonderful but the the loss of even selling MP3s Yeah.

And I went through from se like you were talking about demo tapes, which was a cassette tape to CDs.

Right.

And then to MP3s and now it's streaming.

And the funny thing is, is it's like you each with less money, less, less...

Right.

Yeah.

What's crazy about that, too, though, is even a lot of mainstream artists that we know and see and hear that are very popular.

A lot of times if they take like a three or four year break, they come back and they're like, I don't even know how to release music.

Right, right now because it's always evolving.

TikTok.

Always changing.

Exactly Yeah.

Yeah.

I actually came across a social media post from an artist, Mike Posner.

A lot of people know him, a couple of big songs or whatnot, but he was saying he doesn't know how to release music these days.

And it's not been that long since he's last released like a hit song.

So it's crazy just how music is ever evolving, always shifting, everything's always optimizing.

So what's some advice that you would give to any new artists or aspiring artists out there in terms of, you know, just getting out there and pushing their music out and doing what they're passionate about.

I would say, you know, first of all, music, like any art form is is a craft.

And so you're honing that craft.

You're trying to get better and better as you do more and more of it.

And, I would say, you know, take chances.

Yeah, experiment, do stuff that's a little out of the box.

Be willing to try and, you know, just record the music.

A lot of people are even afraid to record.

Right, yeah.

or they make a recording and they don't want to put it out, but when you put a song out and you get feedback, it helps you to understand, Oh, okay, well, this didn't work.

Oh, this did work.

People really like this.

And so that experimentation is what makes art exciting.

For one thing, yeah it also makes you better.

And for me, you know, now I've been scoring movies and I've done theme songs for some television stuff and different things, getting a challenge and sometimes people will say, I want it to be country.

And I'm like, Well, that's not my bag.

But I always said, Yeah, of course I can do that, right.

And so I get a slide for my guitar and I start figuring it out and I and before you know it, I have a song.

And so, I, be willing to step outside of yourself, outside of genre, take some chances.

That's the best thing you can do.

Right, gotcha.

That is some great advice.

My name is Mariana Lapizco And you spell M a r i a n a Okay awesome.

Can you tell me about how you heard about the internship program?

Yes, of course.

I heard about the internship program on social media.

And then right after I decided to apply.

Okay.

And can you tell me why students should join the film, TV and media program?

Working with professionals just gives you a sense of confidence.

You know, as artists we're always self-conscious and stuff like that.

But working with like-minded people always inspires you to go more and get out of your comfort zone and keep learning.

Not only that, but people are super cool here.

You know, we're always helping each other out.

If someone doesn't know something, the other person might know it.

And then we're always teaching each other.

It's always the team work, that makes the dream work and its all here.

Well Benji, thank you so much for joining us today here in KVCR studios, in San Bernardino on Rhythm Lounge.

Viewers, you guys are in for one more treat.

He's going to take it away with one last song.

Omega Funk 10,000.

♪ Welcome to Omega Funk Airlines ♪ ♪ Flight 10,000 ♪ ♪ Yall better be ready to groove tonight, ♪ ♪ as we get down on this funky flight ♪ ♪ We got the power ♪ ♪ 10,000 mega tons ♪ ♪ Like a candle in the night ♪ ♪ shining bright ♪ ♪ Yo, baby, this is gonna be fun ♪ ♪ We go those savage grooves ♪ ♪ thatll make ya holler ♪ ♪ “Please!

” ♪ ♪ Our funk is tight, and were doin it right ♪ ♪ Makin jelly in the back of your knees ♪ ♪ Say WHAT?

♪ ♪ 10,000 ♪ ♪ Worldwide ♪ ♪ This joint is stupid fly ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Omega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Omega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Omega Funk ♪ ♪ 10,000 ♪ ♪ Worldwide ♪ ♪ This joint is stupid fly ♪ ♪ Back to the future ♪ ♪ Where Omega Funk was born ♪ ♪ A diamond in the rough, hangin tough ♪ ♪ Rhythm sweeter than a sweet popcorn ♪ ♪ The music junkies shot ♪ ♪ their funk into the air ♪ ♪ Let your butt hand down ♪ ♪ move it around ♪ ♪ Shake it like you just dont care ♪ ♪ 10,000 ♪ ♪ Worldwide ♪ ♪ This joint is stupid fly ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Omega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Omega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Omega Funk ♪ ♪ 10,000 ♪ ♪ Worldwide ♪ ♪ This joint is stupid fly ♪ ♪ (music palying) ♪ ♪ all around the world ♪ ♪ for all the boys and girls ♪ ♪ The Omega Funk 10,000 is leaving the station ♪ ♪ Just another lover of the Organized Noise ♪ ♪ The get down groove, my weapon of choice ♪ ♪ Ill aim it at the heads of all the ladies and the boys ♪ ♪ While Im jumpin to the rhythm of the beat ♪ ♪ Ya ever heard of a Jive Turkey talk about chicken ♪ ♪ Yall gettin funky to the rhymes Im kickin ♪ ♪ My toungue is gettin numb ♪ ♪ from all the chicken finger lickin ♪ ♪ And Im jumpin to the rhythm of the beat ♪ ♪ 10,000 ♪ ♪ Worldwide ♪ ♪ This joint is stupid fly ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Omega Funk ♪ ♪ Good gaud, yes please!

♪ ♪ I am your fantasy ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Omega Funk ♪ ♪ 10,000 ♪ ♪ Worldwide ♪ ♪ This joint is stupid fly ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Omega Funk ♪ ♪ Good gaud, yes please!

♪ ♪ I am your fantasy♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Mega Funk ♪ ♪ Omega Funk ♪